Electrical deodorizing device



April 5, 1960 D. w. YAFFE 2,931,880

ELECTRICAL DEODORIZING DEVICE Filed Oct. 15, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR.

DAVID W. YAFFE .4 TTO/PNE Y5.

United States Patent ELECTRICAL DEODORIZING DEVICE David W. Yalfe,Philadelphia, Pa., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Cory Corporation,Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Application October 13, 1958,Serial No. 767,004

Claims. (Cl. 219-19) This invention relates to a room deodorizingdevice, and it particularly relates to a deodorizer which can beelectrically energized or deenergized.

Although there are various room deodorizers on the market today, they.are generally in the form of sprays contained in squeeze bottles oraerosol bombs. These sprays create mists or fogs consisting of tinyfluid particles which clog the atmosphere of the room and often formundesirable deposits on walls, fixtures or furniture. Furthermore, thecontainers must be stored when not in use and may be lost or misplacedbetween uses.

It is one object of the present invention to overcome the above andother disadvantages of prior deodorizers by providing an electricallyenergized deodorizing device which can be permanently installed on anywall or other flat surface and which can be utilized immediatelywhenever needed and thereafter be immediately deactivated.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a deodorizingdevice which utilizes easily replaceable deodorant parts which can bereplenished when worn out.

. Another object of the present invention is to provide a deodorizingdevice of sturdy construction and pleasing appearance which isrelatively inexpensive to produce.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this inventionwill be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood byreference to the following detailed description when considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying the presentinvention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the device of Fig. 1.

Referring now in greater detail to the various figures of the drawingswherein similar reference characters refer to similar parts, there isshown a deodorizer device, generally designated 10, comprising a casing12 which consists of a rear casing section 14 and a front casing section16. These casing sections may be constructed of any desired material butare preferably constructed of a plastic such as polystyrene.

The rear casing section 14 comprises a rear wall 18 integral with a pairof side walls 20 and 22. All three of these walls 18, 20 and 22 areprovided with internallyextending top flanges as at 24, 26 and 28 whichare integral with each other. The flange 24 of the rear wall is somewhatwider than the other two flanges (as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 5).

The rear wall 18 is provided with an indented or internally recessedportion 30 at the external center of which is provided a lug 32 (seeFig. 3). This lug 32 is provided with a key-hole shaped opening 34 whichextends through the lug and through the wall 18. The opening 34 isadapted to receive the head of a nail, screw or the like having itsother end inserted in the room wall or other supporting surface. In thismanner, the device may be easily hung upon and removed p from thesupporting surface by merely sliding the device up or down to permitentry ofthe. nail head into and out of the enlarged portion of the hole34. The side wall is provided with a slot 36 to receive a switch buttontobe hereinaftermore fully described. Mounted on the inner surface ofrear wall 18 is a bracket 38 comprising a rear plate 40 adownwardlydepending extension 42 on one side and a downwardlydependingextension 44 on the other side. The bracket 38 is connected to theinside surface of wall 18 by rivets or the like 46 passing through holes48 in the extensions 42 and 4'4 and through apertured bosses 50 in thewall 18. Spring detents 51 are struck out of the extensions 42 and 44and frictionally engage. under the shoulder formed by the lower edge ofrecessed portion 30.

I A spring finger 52, having an upwardly extending flange 54 at its freeend, is struck out from the bottom of plate plate 40 and extendsforwardly therefrom.

Seated on the spring finger 52, in spaced relation to flange 54, is aceramic block 56 having a rectangular recess 58 therein. Thebottom ofthe recess is defined by;.a framing portion of the block having anarcuategroove 60 at each end. At each side of the recess, the block-isprovided with holes: 62.

Adaptedto seat within the recess 58 of block 56 is a rectangularresistor element 64, and on top. of the block 56 is adapted to rest asecond ceramic block 66. This second block 66 is shaped similarly toblock 56 but is provided with a centrally arranged, rectangularaperture- 68 which encompasses the resistor 64 when the two blocks areassembled and held together by means of pins, rivets or the like, shownat 70, which extend through;

holes 72 in the block 66 and holes 62 in block 56..

The framing" portion defining the lower edge of the aperture 68 in block66 is provided with a groove 74 at each end. These grooves 74 mate withgrooves 60 inv block 56 to form passages through which extend the' wires76 and 78 respectively connecting the resistor element 64 with a slideswitch 80 mounted on a side flange section 82 of extension 42 and withan electrical plug element 84. The wire 78, in leading to plug 84, firstpasses through an insulating sleeve 86 positioned in an aperture in aforwardly-extending flange 88 extending from the lower edge of extension44. The sleeve 86 is provided with a guide 89 at its upper end. Thecircuit is completed by a wire 90 connecting the plug 84 with the switch80 after first passing through sleeve 86.

The switch 80 is provided with an actuating button 92 which projectsthrough a slot 94 in the flange 82 and through the slot 36 in the sidewall 20 of easing section 14 into a position where it is readilyaccessible to the user. At its inner side, the switch 88 is providedwith an insulating cover 96 having apertures through which electricalwires extend.

The front section 16 comprises an inwardly-bowed front wall 98 providedwith a top inwardly-extending flange 100 and side flanges 102. Theflanges 102 are integral with lower side flanges 104, each beingprovided with an inwardly-extending lip 106. Ribs 108 extend along theunderside of the lower wall 110 adjacent the flanges 104. These ribs 108act as feet for the device if it is to be stood up in place instead ofhung and also as strengthening means.

The front wall 98 is provided with louvered openings 112 at its lowerportion, these openings extending into the bottom wall 110.

The rear edge 114 of wall 110 is slightly recessed and is provided witha slot 116 which mates with a vertical slot 118 in wall 18 of section 14to provide an opening through which wires 76 and 78 extend.

The sections 14 and 16 are assembled by sliding the rectangular ribs 120on the bottom of section 14 into thechannels IZZIormedon-the interior offlanges 104, and frictionally-retaining the two sections in place.

When the casing 12 is assembled, with its two sections 14 and 16 heldtogether, a slot 124 is formed at the top. This slot' 1 24 coincideswith the space between the block 66 and fiange 54 of finger52 so that aporous ceramic block 126 impregnated with adeodorizing fluid can beslipped through the slot 124 into position between the resistanceelement 64and the retaining flange 54 which resiliently holds the block126 in place. A handle 128 is provided on block 126 for easier handling.

With the block 126 in place, the switch 80 can be operated to heat upthe resistor 64. This heat vaporizes the deodorant fluid in block 126.Meanwhile, air flows through louvered openings 112 and up past thedeodorant block and out slot 124. As it passes through the device, thisair-entrains the deodorant vapor and disperses it through the room byconvection.

- When it is desired to deactivate the device, it is merely necessary topush button 92 to open switch 80.

Whenever one block 126 becomes worn out; that is when an insuflicientamount of impregnant remains, it can be instantly and easily replacedwith a fresh block. These blocks 126 can be sold separately as refills.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to-beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed as the invention is:

1. A deodorizing device comprising a housing having an open'front face,a closed rear wall, a top portion provided with a slot extendingrearwardly from said open front face, a cover plate for said open frontface, said cover late being releasably-engaged with said housing todefine the front edge of said slot in said top portion,;inlet aperturemeans in the lower portion of said cover plate, a bracket connected tothe inner surface of said rear wall within the housing, a retainingfinger connected to said bracket, a ceramic frame on said bracket inspaced relation to said finger to form a deodorizer block holding pocketbetween said frame and said finger, said pocket being in alignment withsaid slot in said top portion to permit insertion of said deodorizerblock into said pocket, an electrical heating element releasablyretained in said ceramic frame adjacent said pocket, and electrical leadlines connected to said heating element and extending out of saidhousing into a position wherein they are adapted to be connected to asource of electrical energy.

H2, The deodorizing device of claim 1 wherein an onoif electrical switchis interposed in said lead lines between said heating element and saidsource of electrical energy, said switch being positioned on saidbracket and having an actuating means extending through an aperture insaid housing.

3. The deodorizing device of claim 1 wherein said ceramic framecomprising two separable framing blocks having mating apertures thereinto receive the heating element, said blocks having mating groovesadapted to coincide to form channels for said lead lines. 4. Thedeodorizing device of claim 1 wherein said housing and said cover platehave telescopically engageable edge portion for releasably engaging saidhousing and said cover plate.

' 5-. The deodorizing device of claim 1 wherein said inlet aperturecomprises a plurality of slots in louvered arrangement.

